Former TCU offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai (74) will start at left tacke for the Philadelphia Eagles when they take on the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII. (Star-Telegram/Paul Moseley) Paul MoseleyStar-Telegram

Former TCU offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai (74) will start at left tacke for the Philadelphia Eagles when they take on the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII. (Star-Telegram/Paul Moseley) Paul MoseleyStar-Telegram

Two TCU offensive tackles will be on Super Bowl LII rosters

Last year, it was New England Patriots’ right tackle Marcus Cannon, who graduated from TCU in 2011. And while his team will play in its second straight Super Bowl, Cannon will not. Tom Brady’s strong-side protector only started seven games in 2017 before he was eventually placed on season-ending injured reserve as the result of an ankle injury.

Cannon had a career year in 2016, earning second-team All-Pro honors following his fifth season in the league. Even before his strongest campaign with the Patriots, the team handed him a five-year 32.5 million-dollar contract extension in November of 2016. In the 2011 NFL Draft, New England selected him in the fifth round with the 138th pick.

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While Cannon won’t be taking the field, another recent TCU graduate will be.

When the Eagles do get the ball on offense in Super Bowl LII, former Horned Frog Halapoulivaati Vaitai, a graduate of Haltom High School, will start at left tackle. When starter Jason Peters went out of the lineup with a torn ACL and MCL in Week 7, the third-year pro has served as the blind-side protector for quarterbacks Carson Wentz and now Nick Foles. Since Peters’ injury, Halapoulivaati has started 11 games, mostly at left tackle.

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At Saturday's Polynesian Bowl in Hawaii, defensive end Izaih Filikitonga announced his commitment to TCU, over OU and OSU. The Polynesian Bowl features high school football players from across the country with Polynesian heritage. The Euless Trinity player said he chose the Horned Frogs because he wanted to stay in his home state. Courtesy of @kathleenrapone_